I've been trying to read the paper again, taking a few minutes with the Murky News online. So far, so good– yesterday I found Ning via the SiliconBeat column, and today I'm finding the Great Cat Watch project.
The basic summary: many folks don't realize to what degree cats try to conceal any sign of illness. An association of cat vets has put together a list of behaviors, and a site about watching your cat. Catch problems before they're big problems, and just establish a baseline for the cat's behavior. Etc.
Those of us who grew up utterly fixated on cats can scarcely believe anyone needs this kind of info, but many cat owners, even those who lived with cats through childhood, may not consciously know to watch for this stuff. A good idea! Yay for well cats.
[Addendum: I downloaded the Feline Behavior Guidelines (PDF) and have two quick comments. First, it's regrettable that it's solely vet-focused, eg uses precise yet complex language. I think a lay version would be very helpful. Maybe there is an equivalent onsite somewhere, haven't looked. Second, the matrix of cat body and facial sketches on page 12 is both hilarious and useful. It's an A(sub)B(sub) matrix of aggressiveness and assertiveness. I think the sketches, really more like line drawings, are portraying cats' body and face mechanics relatively accurately. They're just *funny* in that way that cats can be funny– like when Boo decides it's Time To Be ANGRY and starts beating hell out the carpet, a toy, the edge of a box she's laying in. She's a perfect little A(0)B(1), so it makes me laugh to see the diagram!]
Relentless Inquiry 
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